Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW – Lauren Spencer Smith Delivers an Emotional Night in Vancouver on ‘Art of Being A Mess’ Tour
At Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre on March 22, Lauren Spencer Smith returned to something close to home. The Port Alberni native was greeted like one of the city’s own, and the energy in the room made that clear long before she stepped on stage. Groups of friends, families, and plenty of young fans filled the theatre early, already singing along to the preshow playlist as if the concert had started without her.
Opening the night, Maisy Kay brought a theatrical, almost fairytale-like presence. Dressed in a flowing outfit with butterfly details (down to her water bottle), she moved across the stage with ease, turning a solo set into something that felt full and lively. Tracks like “Technicolor Honeymoon” and “Almost Touch Me” leaned into glossy pop, while her take on Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” added a playful twist, complete with impressive vocal runs. Kay’s charm came through in the quieter moments too, especially when she paused to speak directly to the crowd, sharing about connection and heartbreak.
Next up, Sofia Camara shifted the mood into something more intimate. Her set leaned heavily on storytelling, with each song introduced like a chapter pulled from her own life. When she asked the crowd to stand up and light up the room for “Starlight,” the Orpheum transformed into a sea of phone lights, soft and glowing. That calm didn’t last long once she launched into “Parking Lot,” which had the audience singing back every word. By the end of her set, she had clearly won over a room that arrived early and ready to listen.
By the time Spencer Smith appeared, the anticipation had been building for hours. Her stage design leaned into the theme of The Art of Being A Mess, built around a stylized bus stop complete with a bench and a ringing payphone. It gave the show a sense of movement, like each song marked a different emotional stop along the way. When the lights dropped and the phone rang, the crowd screams, and she walked out to open with “IF KARMA DOESN’T GET YOU,” quickly followed by “Lighting the Flame” and “28.” For “Bigger Person,” the fans had prepared a special project and had distributed little pieces of paper ahead of the show asking the crowd to turn on their phone lights. It was one of the most beautiful, still moments of the night.
Indeed, from the start, her connection with the audience felt personal. She didn’t treat the room like a blur of faces, and she made eye contact, reacted to signs, and took time between songs to talk. That balance of control and openness carried the night. Vocally, she was sharp and consistent, moving from restrained verses to full, belted choruses.
The setlist pulled heavily from her latest album, The Art of Being a Mess, alongside fan favourites like “That Part,” “Pray,” and “Flowers.” The loudest moments came when the crowd took over entirely, turning songs like “Fingers Crossed” into full-on singalongs.
Interactive moments helped shape the pacing. The “Tell Me A Secret” segment brought a mix of humour and vulnerability as anonymous confessions were read aloud, while the “Wheel of Feels” added an unpredictable edge.
What stood out most was how comfortable Spencer Smith looked in this setting. There’s been steady growth in her stage presence over the past few years, and it shows. She knows when to step back and let the crowd carry a moment, and when to lean in and push her voice to the front. The energy in the room never let up.
For a hometown-adjacent crowd, this tour stop was a reminder of how far she’s come, and how strongly her music continues to land with the people who found her early.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
LAUREN SPENCER SMITH
SOFIA CAMARA
MAISY KAY
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Let Your Freak Flag Fly: DEVO and The B-52s Bring the Weird to Rogers Arena
If there was ever a concert where you could show up wearing a red energy dome, a giant lobster costume, or something covered in sequins and somehow feel underdressed, it was Sunday night at Rogers Arena. DEVO and The B-52s brought their Cosmic De-Evolution Tour to Vancouver on September 27, turning the arena into a colourful, wonderfully weird collision of new wave, dance music, retro-futurism and pure camp. It was less like watching two bands from another era and more like being dropped into a very strange party that somehow never stopped being cool.
DEVO kicked things off with their signature visual style firmly intact. The yellow jumpsuits and unmistakable red energy dome hats made an appearance, along with a seriously impressive light show that turned the stage into a constantly shifting wall of colour and movement. There was a lot to look at, and the band clearly understood that half the fun of DEVO is the spectacle. At one point, they took things a step further by throwing red energy domes from the stage into the crowd, sending fans scrambling to catch one of their own. “Uncontrollable Urge” had the arena bouncing, while “Whip It” brought one of the biggest reactions of the night. Watching thousands of people lose themselves to a song that has been living in the cultural bloodstream for decades was pretty great.
Then came The B-52s, and suddenly Rogers Arena felt less like a hockey arena and more like the world’s biggest dance floor. Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider and Cindy Wilson brought the kind of energy that makes it impossible to simply sit and watch. “Planet Claire,” “Roam,” “Private Idaho” and “Love Shack” had the crowd singing and dancing along, but naturally, everyone knew what was coming. “Rock Lobster.” And yes, there was an actual lobster on stage. The giant crustacean made its appearance as the band tore into their gloriously bizarre classic, perfectly summing up what makes The B-52s so much fun. They have never seemed particularly interested in being normal, and thankfully, they still aren’t.
Their fans are just as committed. There was a definite cult-like devotion in the room, with plenty of retro outfits, dancing, big hair, wild accessories and people who clearly knew every single word. The crowd ranged from longtime fans who have been following the bands for decades to younger concertgoers discovering the music for themselves. That might be the most fun part of the Cosmic De-Evolution Tour. These songs have somehow escaped their original era. They still work. They still make people dance. And the bands themselves seem perfectly happy to keep letting their freak flags fly.
DEVO and The B-52s may have been formed nearly half a century ago, but there was nothing particularly nostalgic about the night. This wasn’t a museum piece or simply a trip down memory lane. It was loud, colourful, ridiculous and incredibly fun. With DEVO‘s futuristic visuals, flying energy domes and The B-52s‘ wonderfully unhinged stage presence, Rogers Arena got a little weirder on Sunday night, and Vancouver was better for it.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
DEVO
THE B-52s
All Photo Credit: Heather Horncastle
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: AC/DC – Hell’s Still Bellin’
AC/DC. Christ. What’s left to say? Everything’s been said, screamed, tattooed on someone’s bicep already. Doesn’t matter. That’s the whole racket, they never changed, never blinked, and more than fifty years later they’re still the loudest gang in the room.
Growing up, they felt ancient already. I am a 2001 kid. Turns out the joke’s on me: they’re still out there, riffing like it’s ’79, refusing to retire into legend status.
Princess Auto Stadium was packed with about 35000 attendees. Everyone was wearing red twinkling devil’s horns. To warm up the night, The Pretty Reckless started with one of the hits “Death by Rock and Roll.” Some support acts play like they’re grateful for the slot. Taylor Momsen played like she owns the stadium. The hair falling forward, somehow the less you can see of her face the more magnetic she gets. Stage presence isn’t something you learn. She’s just got it.
The band didn’t sound like an opener. Every riff landed with the swagger “Going To Hell” and “Since You’re Gone” kept it burning, and “About You” brought it down to something rawer before the lights cut. By the time The Pretty Reckless walked off, the audience were already screaming AC/DC! AC/DC!
Winnipeggers stood stunned through AC/DC‘s whole set. Angus Young, 71 years old still in that signature blue schoolboy uniform and yellow-and-blue cap, ran wild across the stage, duck-walking like no time had passed at all, genuinely, a dream come true to watch in person.
Meanwhile, the rest of the band, rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, bassist Chris Chaney and drummer Matt Laug stayed largely in the background, keeping the engine running for Angus and Johnson to tear apart.
The production matched the legend, “Hells Bells” arrived with an actual giant bell hanging over the stage. The setlist ran deep: “Thunderstruck,” “Have a Drink on Me,” “Shot in the Dark,” “Stiff Upper Lip,” “Highway to Hell,” “Jailbreak,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.” Almost every song sounded just as good as the album version. The crowd tore their vocal cords apart singing along to “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “TNT.” “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)” closed things out with cannons blasting into the night sky.
The house lights came up and nobody moved right away. Smoke still hanging over the stage, ears ringing, horns still lit up red across the stands. Bands this old aren’t supposed to sound this dangerous. They aren’t supposed to still mean it. But AC/DC never got the memo about slowing down, and honestly, thank God for that. I walked out hoarse, deaf, and completely satisfied.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
AC/DC
THE PRETTY RECKLESS
All Photo Credit: Nischal Karki